Air conditioning system utilizing refrigeration



y 1933- s. M. ANDERSON ET AL 2,116,093

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM UTILIZING REFRIGERATION Filed'Feb. 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 2 8 f 1 2: T f

l fffj/fi AL 7L 'P, 11'; H M J 171027152911? SAMUEL M. flNDEESON FRANK J HflM/LTON Z3 M \7 9% diiowzrgy May 3, 1938. s. M. ANDERSON ET AL 1 2,116,09

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM UTILIZING REFRIGERATION Filed Feb. 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELECTRIC sowacz HEATER 3 j n n n T- l u I n /n 11 Y I /I i I 12 I i 41 jzzvezri'ow 1 11.5 M fl w ,q L NDEBS d F/EANK J." HAMILTON Patented May '3, 1938 lt lilditdd rrroNra'o sr'rr r1 anon'rro Samuel li/il. dnderson, hharon, i liiialton, @o, till... i

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dturtevant iilompauy, lino, hoson,

i pliits/titan ppm l I v car This invention relates to methods and ap-rparatus utilizing refrigeration for conditioning the air supplied to passenger vehicles and relates more particularly to a conditioning system ior passenger vehicles utilizing spray type condi tioners.

Practically all oi the railroad passenger car conditioning systems in service today utilize dry coils through which a volatilereirigerant or ice water is circulated, for cooling the air to he supplied within the passenger space. ile these coils are efiective for cooling and dehumidiiying the air, auxiliary filters oi the dry type are used ior cleaning the air and they do not do this satisiactorily. Aiter a period oi time, a thiclr coating oi scum iorms over the coils, decreasing their eiiectiveness and adding odors to the air. Furthermore, the dry filters do not remove the many colors peculiar to railroad cars.

another disadvantage oi the present type system employed on railroad cars, is that the controls do not regulate the temperature satis iactorily. The present type controls usually act to start and stop the supply oi refrigeration cansing alternate overheating and overcooling.

According to a feature of this invention, a spray type system utilizing two groups oi spray nozzles is provided. e system is preferably operated under a dew point control and the volume oi liquid projected hy the sprays varied under thermostatic control to provide a control oi the temperature oi the air supplied to the passenger space.

according to another ieature oi the invention, an automatic control provides a gradual and progressive temperature change. The control operates upon a rise in temperature to gradually increase the .cooling eflect and upon a tall in temperature to gradually decrease the cooling effect.

According to another feature oi the invention, condensate irom the steam supplied to a heater in the conditioner in winter, supplies the necessary make-up water for operating the sprays as a humidifier.

An object of the invention is to provide a cooling system for passenger vehicles. which under effective automatic control, washes as well as temperature conditions the air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a temperature control for a passenger vehicle cooling system, which acts progressively and gradually to vary the temperature of the air.

Another object of the invention is to provide in till hill

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(will dlitlii a passenger vehicle conditioning system, a novel iorm of spray volume control. 7

Other objects oi the invention will he apparent irom the iollowing description taken together with the drawings.

The invention will now he described with reierence to the drawings oi which:

Fig. i is a side view with a portion in section of a conditioning system according to this inven= tion, mounted in a railroad passenger car;

Fig. i is a planview, with the car in section, ioolring. do upon the apparatus of Fig. i;

Fig. i is a diagrammatic view illustrating a complete reirigeratingand air conditioning system according to this invention, and

his. a is an end view loolring at the spray nozzle in the conditioning unit.

r? ierr i dist to his. 3, ice water irom the tank t flows into the sump t and is circulated by the pump i, driven by the motor i, through branch pipe i to the spray nozzles it, and through branch pipe ii to the spray nozzles it. The water returned irom the spray nozzles flows through the pipe it over the it .i ersed thermostat it, through valve it and noally through pipe iii to he sprayed upon the ice suriace in the tank t.

The layps pipe it is connected to the valve iii and serves to sht or lay-pass water around the tanh i when the water returnedirom the sprays is cold enough that no iurther cooling is desired, at which time the thermostat i i causes the soleacid it to actuate the valve it to cause the ret water to how through the hy-pass pipe it instead oi to the tanlt d. The thermostat it thus acts as a dew point control to provide a constant dew point temperature at the conditioner.

a small portion oi the water supplied by the pump "i irom the sump t passes through the branch pipe it to the precooler coils it where it serves to precool the air passing to contact later with water irom the spray nozzles I0 and ii. The water leaving the precooler passes through the pipe it to the equalizer tank ii. The tank ii is connected also to the discharge pipe is from the cooling tank 5, and has the overflow pipe 22 arranged at a level in the tank it which, corresponds to the desired water level in, the tank a. The precooler coils i9 have such surface that the air passing thereby heats the water leaving these coils to a greater temperature than the water returned from the sprays, through the pipe ii. The amount of water passing through the coils id is so chosen as to equal the amount added normally by the melting of the ice in the tank 5. Thus, the water drained to the track through the overflow pipe 22 is the normal excess amount and is at a relatively high temperature. Thus, through the use of the equalizer tank, the heated water from the coils I9 is not fed into the tank 5 to melt unduly the ice therein.

In order to provide a graduated temperature control, three thermostats, each responsive over a different range of temperatures, only one of which is active at a time, are provided, with a manual selector switch for placing the selected thermostat into a control circuit. Each thermostat has been designed to operate through a predetermined range of temperature, a plurality of controls, all of which cooperate, and each of which assists in providing the desired effect. For example, the thermostat 24 is designed to maintain a maximum temperature of 78, at which temperature and above, the mercury in the thermostat is against the contact 21, closing a circuit through the solenoid 4| and the selector switch 29 and contact 3| to the electric source 28, causing the solenoid to hold its associated valve 42 wide open so as to secure the maximum cooling effect. At the same time, the mercury in the thermostat 24 is also in contact with contacts 25 and 26. Thus, a circuit including solenoid 44, contact 26, contact 3|, switch 29, and electric source 28 is closed to energize the solenoid 44, causing it to hold its valve 43 wide open. A circuit is also closed including contact 25 and motor 8 to cause the pump I to be active.

When the temperature drops below 78, the mercury in the thermostat 24 leaves the contact 21 causing the solenoid 4| to become deenergized to close down its valve 42, thus decreasing the cooling eil'ect by increasing the resistance in water-flowto the nozzles l2. If this decrease in the cooling effect is insufllcient and the temperature drops below 77, the mercury in the thermostat leaves its contact 26, causing the solenoid 44 to become deenergized to close down its valve 43, thus shutting down the spray nozzles I2. 11' this decrease in the cooling eiIect is not suflicient and the temperature drops below 76, the.mercury in the thermostat 24 leaves the contact 25 causing the pump motor 8 to become deenergized,

thus terminating all refrigerated water supply to the conditioner.

Upon increases in temperature, it is obvious that the pump is started when the temperature reaches 76, the by-pass valve 43 is opened when the temperature reaches 77 and finally the valve 42 is opened when the temperature reaches 78. The design of the system is'such that the cooling effect with all springs in operation is sufilcient to prevent the temperature of the car in normal conditions from rising substantially above 78 when the thermostat 24 is placed in control by the selector switch 29.

Since the temperature standard to be maintained in the passenger space will depend not only upon outdoor temperatures but upon the desires of the passengers, the selector switch may be manipulated to place the thermostats 24, 33, or 3'! in control to change the temperature standard to be maintained.

If alower indoor temperature is desired, the selector switch 23 is placed against contact 30. This renders thermostats 24' and 33 inoperative and places thermostat 31 in control. The thermostat 31 is similar to the thermostat 24 except that it maintains a uniform temperature of 76. -Its upper contact 40 is connected in shunt to the upper contact 21 oi thermostat 24 and serves to control the solenoid 4|. Its middle contact 33 .zles I0 and I2.

is connected in shunt to the control 26 of the thermostat 24 and serves to control the solenoid 44. Its lower contact 33 is connected in shunt to the lower contact 25 of thermostat 24 and serves to control the pump motor 3.

It on the other hand a higher indoor temperature is desired, the selector switch 29 is placed in contact 32. This places thermostat 33 in control and maintains a maximum temperature 01' Its three contacts 34, 35 and 33 are connected in shunt to the three corresponding contacts 25, 28, and 21 of the thermostat 24 and serve to control the pump motor 8, the solenoid 44 and the solenoid 4|, respectively.

The ice tank 5, the pump, equalizer tank 2|, and associated apparatus is preferably mounted in the compartment 50 on the under side of the car as shown by Fig. 1.

In winter, the valve i5 is adjusted to by-pass all water flow through pipe l6 around the tank 5. The valve Si in the precooler line and the valve 65 between the tank 5 and sump 3 are also closed. The pump 1 is then operated to supply water for humidifying purposes to the spray noz- Steam is supplied through the pipe 52 to the air heating coils 53. Condensate from the heater coils 53 is collected in the trap 54 and is fed through the pipe 55 into the recirculated water pipe l3 to add the necessary makeup water to the system. The valve 66 and pipe 61 serve to return the condensate to the steam supply source when make-up water is not required. In winter, thermostats 33, 31 and 24 are removed from service; the valves 42 and 43 are operated in open position; the motor 3 is preterably controlled by a hygrostat in the passenger space (not shown) and the supply of steam is controlled by a thermostat mounted within the passenger space (not shown).

Whereas one embodiment of the invention has been described for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact arrangement described, since many departures will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, after having had access to this disclosure.

What is claimed is:

1. Air cooling apparatus for a passenger vehicle comprising a cooling compartment, means for passing air through said compartment and for discharging it into the passenger space, a plurality of groups of spray nozzles in said compartment for spraying water into the air passing therethrough, means for supplying refrigerated water to said nozzles, and means responsive to temperature conditions within the passenger space for decreasing upon a decrease in temperature to a predetermined point, the volume of water sprayed by one of said groups of nozzles and for shutting down upon a further decrease in temperature to a lower predetermined point, the supply of water to said one of said groups of nozzles.

2. Air cooling apparatus for a passenger vehicle comprising a cooling compartment, means for passing air through said compartment and for discharging it into the passenger space. a plurality of groups of spray nozzles in said compartment for spraying water into the air passing therethrough, means for supplying refrigerated water to said nozzles, and means responsive to temperature conditions within the passenger space for decreasing upon a decrease in temperature 'to a predetermined point, the volume of water sprayed by one of said groups of nozzles,

aiiaoee 3. Air cooling apparatus for a passenger vehicle comprising a cooling compartment, means for passing air through said compartment and for discharging it into the passenger space, a plurality of groups of spray nozzles in said compartment for spraying water into the air passing therethrough, means for supplying refrigerated water to said nozzles, and means responsive to temperature conditions within the passenger space, for decreasing upon a decrease in temperature to a predetermined point, the volume of water sprayed by one of said groups of nozzles, for shutting down upon a further decrease in temperature to a lower predetermined point, the supply of water to said one of said groups of nozzles, and for shutting down upon a further decrease in temperature to a still lower predetermined point, the supply of water to all of said groups of nozzles.

4. Air cooling apparatus for a passenger vehicle comprising a cooling compartment, spray nozzles in said compartment, a cooling coil in said compartment, means for passing air through said compartment and for discharging it into the passenger space, means forming? a sump, a source of refrigerated water connected to said sump, an equalizer tank connected to said source, a pump connected to said sump, a pipe connecting said pump and said nozzles, a branch pipe connecting said pipe and said coil, means for returning water from said compartment to said source, means forming a by-pass around said source, to said sump, for returning the water from said compartment to said sump, means for returning water from said coil to said equalizer tank, and means for opening and closing said by-pass.

5. Air cooling apparatus for a passenger vehicle comprising a cooling compartment, spray nozzles in said compartment, a cooling coil in said compartment, means for passing air through said compartment and for discharging it into the passenger space, means forming a sump, an ice bin connected to said sump, an equalizer tank connected to said ice bin, a pump connected to said sump, a pipe connecting said pump and said nozzles, a branch pipe connecting said pipe and said coil, means for returning water from said compartment to said ice bin, means forming a by-pass around said ice bin, to said sump, for

returning the water from said compartment to said sump, means for returning water from said coil to said equalizer tank, and'means for opening and closing said by-pass.

6. Air cooling apparatusfor a passenger vehicle comprising a cooling compartment, means for passing air through said compartment andior discharging it into the passenger space, a plurality of spray nozzles "in said compartment for spraying water into the air passing therethrough, means for supplying refrigerated water to said nozzles, said last mentioned means including a pair of valves in parallel with respect to each other and in series with said nozzles, and temperature responsive means responsive to conditions within the passenger space for decreasing upon a decrease in temperature to a predetermind point, the volume of water supplied to said nozzles through one of said valves and for further decreasing upon a further decrease in temperature to a lower predetermined point, the volume of water supplied to saidnozzles through the other of said valves.

7. Air cooling apparatus for a passenger vehicle comprising a cooling compartment, means for passing air through said compartment and for discharging it into the passenger space, a plurality of groups of spray nozzles in said compartment for spraying water into the air passing therethrough, means for supplying refrigerated water to said nozzles, said means including a pair of valves in parallel with respect to each other and in series with said nozzles, and temperature responsive means responsive to conditions within the passenger space for decreasing upon a decrease in temperature to a predetermined point, the volume of water sprayed by one of said groups of nozzles by closing one of said valves and for decreasing upon a further decrease in temperature to a lower predetermined point, the number of spray nozzles in operation by closing the other of said valves.

SAMUEL M. ANDERSON. FRANK J. HAMILTON. 

